Don't Ever Let Me Forget Who You Are
by Saravelda
Summary: I don't know what's up with the title thing...but the title is Don't Ever Let me Forget Who You Are...Baralai thought he had it all under control. Until she came...now strange things are happening...right around the time for Yuna's wedding... Finally com
1. Prologue

I don't notice too many of these on the internet, so I decided to take a swing at it. I'll write this one in a different format than the other one (crazy final fantasy sci-fi soap opera) I find the other type works better for humorous stories. Well anyways…enjoy guys! Read and review!   
  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own any thing even remotely related to final fantasy. Okay?   
  
Amber-brown eyes gazed out onto the Bevelle palace courtyard through a second story window. It was alright, he could stare all he wanted to here, this was his place, only he was allowed. Up the stone walkway skipped a perky blonde, hardly dressed, he had thought. He had never agreed with how little clothing Rikku had worn. His old friend, Paine, followed her. She had recently, thanks to the rest of the Gullwings began to open up to people. He watched as she sent a smile and a small wave up to the window she was almost certain he had seated himself at. It was his only place to himself after all. With the two of them , as always, was high summoner Yuna, or now she preferred Former-high summoner. She was enveloped in the arms of a tall man with sandy hair. Tidus, he had heard his name before. The dream of the fayth that had assisted Lady Yuna in her fight against Sin. That was three years ago. He had returned to her last year after she had defeated Shuyin and vegnagun.   
  
The sandy haired man, had turned and motioned to someone he could not see behind the scarlet wall. A golden-haired girl ran to catch up. Now he saw her, and recognized her at once. Kerra. Kerra was an unusual girl. She had just come to Spira following the defeat of vegnagun. Gippal had found her, washed up on the shores of Besaid island while visiting Rikku. Why, no one ever knew. Come to think of it, no one knew much of her. She was reluctant to speak of anything pertaining to her past. It made her all the more mysterious. He found her intriguing, though he could not exactly pinpoint what it was about her that made it so…  
  
He heard a knock at the door of his chamber, it echoed throughout, knocking him from any attempt to put solution to the puzzle. "Come in" he croaked. He had not realized it had been a while since he had last spoken. "My lord Baralai, your guests have arrived…" He smiled at this statement. As if all the people of this temple didn't suspect that he was at his little window and he had watched them stroll across the courtyard long before Paine's hand had knocked on the palace gate.   
  
It was not Kerra's first time in Bevelle. She recalled how they had thrown her out last time. Deeming her unworthy to stand in a hall so important. So she was a little…unpolished. Yuna didn't ever seem to mind. She had said before that even Tidus acted this way when he had first come to Spira. Back at home, they would never…no, she shook her head. She couldn't think about home now, she would never get there, not again.The door swung open, as fast as such a heavy door could, forcing a gust of pleasantly cool air out upon her and her friends. Her feet echoed as they tapped lightly on the marble ground. A pleasant scent Kerra could not quite get a handle on drifted weightlessly on the air. Wait. It was stronger now. She tried to stifle a groan unsuccessfully. "I'm so glad you could all come…" a soft, but masculine voice echoed. "Baralai, it was such short notice." Yuna jested "next time you decide to throw a dinner party, you might have to give us more notice." Laughter erupted through the room. "I apologize for the inconvenience, does the former high summoner have more pressing business?" the humor in his voice was richly evident. His lips slowly curved into a smile. "After all…it is my duty to a friend to give a dinner to celebrate the engagement of a friend, is it not?" Yuna blushed. Her and Tidus had been engaged for only a week. Kerra could clearly read on her face the look of wonder of how Baralai had found out so soon. However, it had been said that if anything had happened to anyone prominent, Baralai knew. He motioned to a couple of monks who took the liberty to open the heavy darkwood doors to the dining hall. Tidus took the initiative to escort his fiancé to her seat, Rikku quickly skipping after. Paine, shaking her head, proceeded to follow. That left herself and Baralai. This was, to say the least, awkward. Baralai and herself had never gotten along in public. Her extreme distrust of Yevon and politicians had assured that from the beginning, and her rough and uncourtly behavior did not secure good feelings on his side. "Shall you go in, or will you stand out here all day?" His smile had gone and he would not look her in the eyes. He never did, and she never did understand why. "Forgive me" she almost cringed at the sharp edge of her own words. "I did not mean to make your highness wait…" 


	2. Uninvited quest to the engagement dinner

You all may be wondering by now…what's with the title? Well…two things: 1) it actually has something to do with later in the story. 2) I bite completely at coming up with titles…haha  
  
Baralai made sure everyone was seated comfortably before he himself sat at the head of the table. Crystal glasses has been set in front of each guest, filled their silver rims with a fizzy, bubbly beverage. He reached to pick his up, and feeling the cold smooth crystal with his hands, lifted it up. "Thank you all for coming today, as we celebrate the engagement of two close friends." he nodded at the smiling Yuna and Tidus, adding a smile of his own. "May you live in happiness and cherish each other always." Applause began around the room. He knew he was good at speeches, he was a praetor, it's what he did. Down the left side of the table, Tidus leaned toward Yuna for a kiss. She answered him and the applause strengthened. She broke into laughter which was soon over powered by her cousin's. Rikku clapped and clapped until she could no longer and she had to settle by bouncing up and down in her chair like an impatient toddler. Baralai laughed to himself. Rikku would never change. Especially if his friend Gippal would soon carry out his own plans for the couple that he had entrusted to Baralai earlier last week. That would be a sight. Gippal…the professional bachelor…a husband to Lady Yuna's rambunctious cousin. He shrugged his shoulders, must be an Al Bhed thing he told himself.   
  
Since most of the conversations at the table were directed toward or about the Dream an the former summoner, Baralai let his mind and eyes wander. From the silky blue tablecloth, to the roasted meat dishes the palace chefs had taken all day to prepare, to the silver candlesticks that adorned the long table they rested on. He realized he had let his gaze wander too far when it wandered upon a pale hand resting on the silky blue. His amber-brown eyes followed her hand, up her arm and eventually to her face. She was so pale, much paler than Yuna, Rikku, or even Paine for that matter. But gazing upon her face, he realized it wasn't a bad thing, She reached up with that pale hand to tuck a few escaped strands of golden hair, placing her eyes into plainer view. Those eyes. The crystal blue orbs so deep he could have sworn the entire ocean could have been crammed into them. He always avoided eye contact. Sure, he had looked at them from time to time, but never into them. He was praetor he had to keep reminding himself, and the praetor must keep control of himself and his emotions at all times. 'God, she's beautiful. If only I wasn't praetor. If I could just be me for two seconds. If only'- He shifted his eyes down to his plate…  
  
'…If only she didn't hate me so…'  
  
"Do I have something on my face or something?" He had been staring at her for a while now, and she couldn't figure out why. Nor did she really want to for that matter, all she knew was that it made her uncomfortable, and that was all she needed to know. His head jerked back and for a while, if only a for a little bit, she could detect something unusual about his face. Embarrassment? That's strange, it must be because she caught him off guard. He was probably just looking at her and thinking to himself how awful she was anyway. "No, I was just lost in thought…" he paused for a moment and the expression on his face changed to bitter sarcasm. "Forgive me if I have inconvenienced you, my lady." The last two words were the harshest of all. He hated calling her a lady, but even more he seemed, to her at least, to find some awful pleasure in seeing her clench her fists and grit her teeth at the title. She didn't want' to be known as a lady, she wasn't one. She was a teenage girl, not some stuffy palace lady. She didn't think of Yuna this way, but she had been told that Yuna was once like this, back in her summoner days.   
  
Rikku let out a louder than necessary sigh, and Paine rolled her eyes. Kerra couldn't blame them, she and the praetor hardly ever said anything to each other, and when they did, it was hardly pleasant. So bickering like this was hardly a rare occurrence. "Other than your presence here in the same room, which at the moment cannot be helped, I believe you pose no additional annoyance." She replied, mimicking his sarcastic tone. She internally smiled. She loved insulting him while talking fancy. She got her own pleasure out of proving she could talk as fancy as his own people. Yuna tried a last minute attempt to hold the peace in the room that was slowly drifting away. "Tidus and I still have not found the perfect place for the ceremony. We were hoping that you all would have suggestions?" Rikku immediately entered in thought, which Tidus knew well that she would be there for hours. "How about Zanarkand?" Kerra inquired cheerfully. "It makes perfect sense. After all, Tidus is from Zanarkand, right?"  
  
Tidus' face lit up with the prospect of being married in what used to be a giant blitzball dome. Had Wakka been there, he would have laughed until he fell on the floor, because only he could know exactly what the young groom-to-be was thinking. "Can you get your head off blitzball for two seconds?" asked Rikku. His response was a quick, and surprised laugh. Kerra laughed as well, she had seen it coming.   
  
" If it would please you, lady Yuna, I would be happy to offer the Bevelle palace for the wedding." He added, then flinched. He had remembered too late of Yuna's previous experience with the Bevelle palace and weddings. He was relieved to look over and find the forgiving look in her eyes and that she was actually considering the prospect. Good. Now he could arrange a wedding fit for a High Summoner and an honored Dream of the Fayth. "What makes you think she'd want that? What good memories does she have of this place?" Kerra inquired, angry, but rightfully so. She was only trying to protect her friend. But, she couldn't protect Yuna from her memories, he knew that frustrated her so many times. "Because, here we could provide her with a proper wedding, Yuna is no common bride." He wondered if she could discern the panic in his voice, or if he did a good enough job hiding it. "Exactly" she replied. "This is why she should be free to pick her own wedding spot, without the high and mighty temple officials telling her what to do." She was very angry…he could tell. She stopped trying to mock him with elaborate speech when she became angry. "And if she wants to be married in the place of her birth?" 'No, idiot, that sounds stupid, your fighting a battle you can't win. Fancy words, Baralai, that's the only way out…' He looked up at her, avoiding eye contact, but he was sure the spheres of ocean blue were boiling.   
  
This is Yuna's engagement dinner, you should be happy for her, and let her be happy… ugh, this man infuriates me, but… I have to be quiet, for Yuna and Tidus' sake. She closed her eyes and retreated to a slump in the back of her chair. "then it is her decision to make…" 'not yours' she wanted to say, and would have if she had not focused all self control to keep it behind her lips. Not two seconds after her thought, any calm that clung to the dining chamber evaporated, but this time, not by her cause.   
  
"Looky over there!!" Rikku pointed to the corner, her voice quivering. Kerra did so, and had to suppress a shout, a shout that Tidus didn't fail to let go. Yuna stared in horror at what she saw…  
  
What did Yuna see I wonder…hmm…you all really want to know? Okay, but you have to do something for me first. REVIEW!! And then I'll write the next chapter and tell you, sound like a deal? Here's a preview if you guys want to continue reading…  
  
Yuna made her way to her room aboard the Celsius, at an almost running pace. 'Why? What could he possibly want with it? Who is he? ' Yuna opened an Al Bhed treasure chest she kept in her room at the foot of her bed, and flung out all the cloth until she reached a small, plain wooden box at the bottom. 'How could they even know about it…only father knew…and he was the one who gave it to me. I thought it was simply a pretty piece of jewelry.' She cradled the sole content of the box in two hands as if it would shatter if she dropped it. A dull light, the kind that was emitted by all spheres spilled from the miniature crystal sphere mounted in the pendant. It became a mystery to her all of the sudden why she had never wondered what it was for, or where it had come from. 'Daddy…what is it for?'  
  
That ends my little preview! Adios and Adieu until next chapter! 


	3. I have fogotten who i really am'

Hey guys! Here's another chapter for ya! I also want to say a special thanks to WinterSiren! That was such a nice review! Thank you! And did you really add my story to your favorite story list? ( I don't know for sure, my friend told me you did). That is so cool! Thanks again! (by the way...I mean what I said when I said your story rocks!)  
  
Chapter 3-  
  
".....D-Daddy?"  
  
Yuna's face had grown so pale she became almost indistinguishable from the apparition that stood in stark contrast to the rich color of the dining hall walls. The shade that had taken the form of Lord Braska lifted it's head at the sound of his beloved daughter's voice. No...it wasn't a shade...it was him, Lord Braska himself. An unsent? No, it was impossible...he was...a ghost? Baralai all but threw himself onto the floor in reverence of the great summoner. "Lord Braska..." "Rise, there is no need for formalities at this time," the ghost rasped, barely above a whisper. The young, frightened praetor did as he was told. Braska made his way toward his child, touching her cheek. "Yuna...forgive me, there I much that needs to be said, and I have not much time."  
  
Her father's hand felt cold on her face. Not that her face wasn't already icy...but even though it was her father...it felt, unnatural. 'Yuna, it's your father, what is wrong with you?' But she knew the answer to this question right away. He was her father yes... 'But he's dead'. She said to herself. The ghost tilted her head up toward his. "Do you still have it? The necklace that I gave you before you left?" She withdrew from her father's hand. That necklace...she had packed it away long ago. The one with the white mini-sphere. "Yes...but.." A rough warm hand on top of hers hushed her. Tidus' hand. She glanced down and realized that she had grown more ghastly pale than she had realized. He was trying to help her, comfort her, and maybe remind her that she also still was in the presence of the living. She was grateful. "Yuna" her father met her eyes with urgency that commanded her attention, and at the same time made her very nervous. "keep it with you...don't let it out of your sight" Yuna knew her expression must have given away her dire desire to know why, her father gave a saddened sigh. He sank to his knees and held her hands in between his icy, white ones. "Because he wants it Yuna. He has set his plans in motion and he needs only the pendant to complete them." Questions swam through Yuna's head. Dumbfounded, she only managed to utter one question. "Who?" her voice croaked with fear. Braska's ghostly head dropped at the question, his answer written clearly on his face. He couldn't tell her, not any more than he already had. She desperately wanted to hug him, tell him it was okay. But it wasn't, she could tell now that it wasn't. Something very dangerous was happening, but what? "Daughter..." She jerked her head up again. "I have to go...I'm out of time." 'No' she wanted to wisper, and her lips made the movements, but no voice obeyed. Something unexpected happened then. Her father's lips curved into a proud smile. "I can't believe my little girl's getting married." He nodded approval at her fiance. "You have chosen well, Yuna. I'll be there...even if you can't see me, I will be." At this, a small tear ran from the corner of her eye. "I know you will, Daddy."  
  
Kerra couldn't believe for the life of her what she was seeing. Yuna's father gave her one last embrace, before pyreflies began pouring from him like a fountain of crystal water. He gave one last nod to Tidus and a small bow to the young Praetor. Baralai was afraid, she could tell. They all were afraid. What they all knew is that something very dangerous was happening, what they all lacked was the knowledge of what it was. This struck fear in all their hearts. How could it not? The whole world could be unraveling for all they knew. By this time pyreflies were flooding the room with a beautiful glow. Under any other circumstances she might have laughed and delighted in such a breathtaking sight, but for now all she could do was sit there, and gape stupidly. Through the swirls of brilliant colored lights she saw Braska making a bow. Only this time, it was directed toward her. She recognized the gesture, it was the kind the summoners use to make to each other in the time of Sin...and the fayth. It terrified her. She wanted to run, hide, anywhere...anywhere to leave this room. Above all, she wanted to scream. To scream in fear and frustration, and confusion. Her hands clutched her face, trying to get a grip on herself. She was afraid...so afraid. Her feet finally returned to her own control...and she ran.  
  
As she ran she heard footsteps behind her.  
He ran after her the moment he saw her frightened shadow dance on the floor of the doorway. He shouldn't do this, he knew. This was against his code of conduct. What would the elders think if they saw him chasing after a hyserical girl. 'forget them.' He scolded himself sharply. She needed him now...even if she didn't know it, or wouldn't admit it, she needed him. 'Your wrong, Baralai' his heart told him. 'You need her even more...' He pushed that thought away immediately. He was praetor, this is not how he was to think., or act. It was much easier to excuse to the council and the elders if he was rescuing her. It was also easier to explain to her. He was gaining on her...just a little farther...  
  
Kerra felt something grab her wrist. She panicked even more, if that was possible. Spinning around to face her attacker, she writhed and wriggled desperately to get free. She did so with her eyes closed...she didn't dare look as to what it looked like, she only knew that she must get free. Her captor however had a firm grip. Smooth hands, she noticed...and warm. Warm with life, which then registered with her as meaning that whoever he was, he was alive. Alive and not dead. He slowly let go of her, but Kerra's strength gave out. Her newly fallen tears soaked whatever clothing he wore, as his strong, warm arms held her carefully to his body like a rag doll.  
  
His heart beat faster as he held the hysterical girl. He wanted to speak to her, tell her it was okay...that it was gone. However, one word and he would be betrayed. She would know his voice...the voice she hated, and she would surely run again. Baralai never wanted this moment to end, but he knew it would, it would have to. She would open her eyes, and disgusted she would hate him even more. For now however, she only cried, too weak to stand on her own feet. By this time, the rest of the party had come to the doorway, Tidus holding an weak, but not hysterical Yuna. Paine hung her head while any cheer in Rikku's face or body language drained and replaced by fear. She shook, but stabled her self against the heavy dark wood door. "I will send someone to find you rooms in the palace for the night." Shelinda. How long had she been there? "Thank you" answered Tidus for Yuna, she was in no condition to speak. Her eyes spoke for her, however, out of concern for her friend that he held. He nodded as to reassure her, and she smiled. Tidus braced the Lady as she attempted to walk to the rooms that were being prepared for Baralai's honored guests. She was no longer weeping, but she was still weak, shuddering and cold, and still afraid to open her eyes. Bevelle palace was huge, he knew right now Kerra would never make it to the room, at least without falling on the cold marble floor. She moaned softly as he let go just enough to slip his arms behind her back and around her legs, and then lifted her up and held her close, hoping to keep her warm. The group followed Shelinda through the twisting, colorful halls of the palace. All the servants they passed looked nervous...they had been told of the incident, gossip traveled faster than anything in these halls.  
At last they came to the designated rooms for them. Tidus opened the door to Yuna's room, where she insisted adamantly that Kerra should stay also. Baralai consented, he knew how worried she was about her. As he held her closer he felt something that made him quite relieved. Her breathing had slowed...she was peacefully sleeping in his arms. He gazed at her sleeping face and found he couldn't stifle the oncoming smile if he had tried with all he was. "You might want to put her down sometime" Yuna's ability to be humorous after what she had been through tonight was amazing. "I'm sure that's uncomfortable for you..." 'No...I want to hold her here forever...where she can't hate me.' Then he realized with sadness that she had meant uncomfortable in a way where she thought he didn't like her in the least. He wanted to tell her how wrong she was, about his part anyway, but no one would understand.... especially the New Yevon council. With this thought, he regretfully let go of her, placing her with care on the sapphire blue silk sheets the way a child places her first glass figurine in a cushioned chest, as not to harm it. "I would like to stand watch for a while if it would not bother you, Lady Yuna." He breathed finally. "If someone or something is after you, I don't feel safe leaving you alone." In truth he was the one who didn't want to be alone. He was just as afraid as Kerra had been, if not more. The only difference being that Baralai was accustomed to hiding his emotions well, a requirement of his position he loathed. Yuna nodded her sleepy head in appoval. Not two minutes later she was breathing heavy in a rhythm of sleep. At last, he wept, only quietly as not to disturb the sleeping girls. He was fatigued with it...keeping his emotions bottled up. Always having to attend to other people's worries and needs with no one giving second thought to his own. Always being required to put on a mask for the people never allowed to show who he truly was. At this he glanced at Kerra. 'Who am I really?' he thought to himself, not having to wait long for an answer. 'You have forgotten.'  
His eyelids grew heavy, until he decided he could do no more to protect them for the night. Standing up, he took one last glance at Lady Yuna and the golden-haired girl sleeping next to her. He slouched to one knee next to the bed, smoothing the shimmering cloth with a well-tanned hand. As he leaned over and gathered courage he leaned over, meaning only to kiss her porcelain cheek. Nevertheless, he passed over her cheek and both by accident and intention, softly brushed her lips with his. Surprised by his mistake he rose from the bedside and whispered his last words to her before parting. "Sleep well, Kerra, soon tomorrow will come, with it the reality of who we really are.... Or who we must continue to be..."  
  
The last part, he whispered mostly to himself.  
  
Aww...poor Baralai, must be tough to be a praetor, yes? And I just love how Kerra's oblivious to the whole thing...haha. Okay...this chapter was hard to write, so reviews will be more appreciated than usual! 


	4. a mysterious, evil, and familliar strang...

I love you guys! Every review I've gotten have been so nice! Ali and Robin - thanks so much for reading this even though you guys don't have the slightest idea about final fantasy…haha. And as always thanks to WinterSiren for another really nice review (and kick butt new chapter to her story!)  
  
Youth league troops paced back and forth, making their rounds about Mushroom Rock Road. 'Not much farther' she told herself as she pulled the hood of her black cloak over her face. Guado were not normally seen nowadays, especially in Youth League territory. To be discovered now would complicate things, more than that rat of a former summoner already had. Just ahead of her, two ladies atop armored chocobos came to check on their soldiers, causing them to turn their back on the gaping mouth of the ravine. 'Now' her mind screamed, as she sprinted with all the grace and silence a guado could, then slid to the bottom with minimal effort. It was safe for her down here, she straightened up and shook off the dirt and dust that had settled on her black cloak, turning it more of a clay color. It took her a few seconds however, to realize she didn't need it at all, so she quickly shed herself of it, letting the whole of her guado self face the shadows of the ravine.   
  
At last she came to the door, inlaid with ten crimson spheres, each catching the small stream of sunlight and glinting like orbs of red wine. The center hole, however, was empty. Her long fingers reached into the pocket of her faded emerald dress and retrieved the eleventh scarlet orb. Blood red light glows from the markings on the door as it is placed into it's proper place. It opens and the guado girl shivers at the dark of the cavern, and the pyre flies swimming inside. She hated this place with a passion, but there was nothing for it, she had to go in, her lord was waiting.   
  
"Vierda…" She spun around, though only mildly alarmed. She knew his voice, soft and almost too lacking in masculinity. Vierda also detected she and her master were not alone. Another stood behind her, his face and long fingers withered with age. She despised him, turning her people into passive recluses only to hide away in his precious Guadosalam, and at one time willing to let them die and fade away with the trees in Macalania. Her master knew how to restore them to their former glory. He would not lead them in such ways as that old fool Tromell that stood before her. She shot him a look of her disgust and turned toward the shadows. "Master…" "You have returned, successful, I hope."   
  
"It is in the possession of high summoner Yuna, my Lord." She could not see him entirely, but he had moved into an escaping stream of light just enough so she could make out his smiling lips and devious eyes. His lips moved to shape her name, with some strange pleasure she couldn't understand. "I shall enjoy taking it from her, and once I have…" His eyes shut, envisioning something terrible she was sure. "not even Spira's precious High summoner will be able to save them." There was some fear in Tromell's eyes, not that it was an uncommon thing, but something was so different it made Vierda shudder. "Indeed, my lord, not even Yuna" His old voice shook with age and effort. "However, the girl might prove a problem." She had seen this girl that the old guado talked about. She was indeed a powerful fighter, but she wasn't so sure that she could stand against her master when he had acquired the power he sought. "Ah yes, Kerra, wasn't it?". Vierda was eager to please her master, perhaps if she played her cards right, he would give her a place of importance in the new order of Spira, perhaps even queen by his side. "Would you like me to kill her, my lord?" Tromell wasted no time in voicing his displeasure. "I think she is rather too skilled to be killed by such a young, naïve, and selfish girl" She sneered at him, now she knew she didn't like him in the slightest. "No, Vierda…" he placed his blue veined hand on the shoulder of her emerald dress, faded and dirty. Now she wished she had kept the cloak so that he had not seen, let alone touched her tattered garment. "It is not necessary. Kerra is fiercely loyal to the High Summoner." He snickered to himself at what was to come next. "However, she is a bit, unpolished and it vexes her so…It may be possible to exploit this weakness, yes?" The old man's eyes lit up with thought, he knew exactly what could be done. "Very good, Tromell, it should work splendidly." The old guado was not the slightest bit surprised, actually, it was only her that was ever surprised about anything. "Excellent, you may go." Vierda turned to leave the damp cave that made her skin crawl. "Not you, Vierda, I wish to talk with you further." Her heart skipped a beat. Normally she would relish in his attention, just the two of them, but she had dreaded this particular moment. He knew, he always knew and that made her skin crawl faster than the pyreflies dancing, it seemed, to her doom. "Vierda, there is something else, isn't there?" Her piercing green eyes locked to his pale blue ones, and she wished she could disappear, but there would not be so much luck for her. He had her here, as long as he wanted to keep her, there was no escape. "She knows…" her voice was little above a whisper. "Braska warned her." Vierda flinched, expecting some punishment, though she didn't know why. Instead he laughed. "It will make it all the more interesting then, wont it?" A loud sigh of relieve took her, and then she blushed deeply, having revealed her fear. "You have done well, Vierda." She watched anxiously as he drew back the hood of his own cloak, night blue, set with all manner of colors and gems in patterns of dancing pyreflies. Long fingers gripped her waist, and as he leaned in he kissed her deeply, running the fingers of his other hand through her waves of jade hair. "Now go.." his voice still as calm as ever as one of the fingers in her hair, migrated south down her cheek. "You and Tromell know what you are to do." She nodded, still mesmerized, to her master's pleasure, turned and ran lightly to the entrance to do his bidding.   
  
After she was gone, he drew his hood up again. He hated to deceive such a beautiful guado girl, but she was young and impressionable, such a thing was hard to find in servants. Vierda would not betray him as long as she loved him, or believed he did to her, and although it was truly Yuna herself he planned to have on the queen's throne of his new order, he wasn't going to mind keeping her around for a while…. He turned to gaze at the silken sky just beyond the door to his cavern, his den of woe.   
  
"It's been such a long time, my lady Yuna…too long…" 


	5. A Sleepless Night

I just couldn't wait to write another chapter! (of course I won't really have it up until tomorrow, I'll keep telling myself that it's cool that I wrote two chapters in one day…haha)   
  
It was her second night to stay in the Bevelle palace, but the events of her father's haunting visit still hung fresh in Yuna's memory. She lay awake on the blue silk sheets of her bed waiting for what she was not quite sure. No matter how hard she tried, it was not sleep that would come to her, only more restlessness. She couldn't take it much longer, she had to go find it, keep it near her like her father asked her to. Arising quietly as to not disturb a lightly sleeping Kerra, she rushed lightly out the door of the bedchamber, taking care to grab a heavy robe from the gold hook protruding from the indigo wall.   
  
Yuna made her way to her room aboard the Celsius, at an almost running pace. 'Why? What could he possibly want with it? Who is he? ' Yuna opened an Al Bhed treasure chest she kept in her room at the foot of her bed, and flung out all the cloth until she reached a small, plain wooden box at the bottom. 'How could they even know about it…only father knew…and he was the one who gave it to me. I thought it was simply a pretty piece of jewelry.' She cradled the sole content of the box in two hands as if it would shatter if she dropped it. A dull light, the kind that was emitted by all spheres spilled from the miniature crystal sphere mounted in the pendant. It became a mystery to her all of the sudden why she had never wondered what it was for, or where it had come from. 'Daddy…what is it for?'  
  
She should have known better to ask for an answer now. Braska had gone back to the farplane, she had seen it with her own eyes. 'Why does it always happen to me?' she wanted to scream. 'Why can't I just live a normal life like everyone else!' This question she knew the answer to. Because she was the high summoner, and the daughter of the one before her, her life was not meant to be normal, or easy. The silver chain of the pendant glinted as it caught the ray of platinum moonlight through the Celsius window. She slipped it over her head and grinned as it hung from her neck, the crystal sphere in the center seemingly mirroring the moon with it's own faint glow. The sight of it comforted her, her father had meant for her to have it, to keep it safe. This is what she would do, keep it safe from whomever wished to use it for ill purposes. Yuna tucked it inside the neckline of her purple nightgown, and ran back to the palace as quickly as she had come, nodding slightly, she was tired now.   
  
As hard as Yuna had tried not to wake her, Kerra heard her anyway. She was also restless, woken by a strange dream, which she was deeply disturbed by. She had dreamed the same the night before. What made it more of a horror was she could not tell whether it was nightmare or dream. Rising to her feet, letting the bottom of her white nightdress drape to the floor, she walked toward the doors to the balcony and swung them open. The night air caressed her pale skin in a welcome way, and she it in as if it were the scent of lavender or strawberries. Or maybe some other scent she couldn't quite put her finger on, and once she did, she completely dismissed the idea as quickly as her foggy mind would allow. Above her stars winked at her from above, letting on to the endless secrets those heavenly diamonds held. She wondered what they were, and how many each held, how many there where at all. Something drew her gaze then, movement across the courtyard. Yuna. She was returning from her journey to who knows where. Kerra also felt more eyes beaming down on her, but seeing no one she tried to forget about it, but she couldn't shake the feeling.   
  
He was glad to see he was not the only insomniac this clear night. The stars were too beautiful to miss out on. However, it wasn't the stars he was looking at. He stood there, peering out of the window of his private chamber at the balcony across the courtyard. Her pale hands touched the mahogany rails of the balcony, making her almost glow. Her golden hair fluttered in the breeze, as it was quite a bit too short to flow. He loved how she never bound it, how she let it fly however it wanted to at any given moment. This was something the prim and proper temple girls would never be able to do, it wasn't who they were. This thought made him frown. That was the type of girl he would be forced to marry, whether he loved her or not. A tight-faced girl with bound hair and a robe without a wrinkle within a mile. He stared longingly at the angel he saw in the balcony, hair flying and nightdress loose and flowing with the sway of the night air. He would remember, someday. He would find the Baralai that slept within him, dormant, and when he did, he wouldn't care. He wouldn't let himself be bottled up behind the praetor image anymore, he wouldn't let himself forget again. "I wouldn't let them choose my bride." he promised himself out loud. His head shot up, surprised he said that audibly, and in utter embarrassment he pretended to be intent on writing something on the table he sat at. He had been caught.   
  
Kerra had not heard what he had yelled, but she knew the voice in which it was spoken. She had not known where his private chamber was, let alone that it was across the courtyard from her. Now she saw it, the single orange light emerging from the candle by the surprisingly plain window. He surprised Kerra in the fact that even for that small moment, he looked more like a human being than a god he was always trying to be. His heavy and equally heavily decorated coat was nowhere to be seen and missing along with it was the blue headband. The laces of his white shirt remained untied, letting it hang open, a sign that he had thrown it on in a hurry. His silver-white hair, usually carefully slicked back had been tossed in every which direction, she assumed by his own tossing and turning from sleeplessness. The front of it hung down while it sharply contrasted his golden brown skin, meeting his eyes. Amber-brown, they were a beautifully rich color. Kerra had never denied that he was a handsome man, just arrogant and insufferable. Just then, however, she had caught an emotion in those eyes that had made him seem human, if only for a little while. It was that same embarrassment that she had seen two days ago at the engagement dinner. His soft warm lips whispered words to whatever he was writing. She quickly pulled her hands back from the railing as it they had suddenly caught fire. Soft? Warm? How did she know this? His lips were someplace she had never explored, and really never thought to. All she truly ever explored of him were possible ways to close them, to keep his sharp, courtly remarks to his own ears and not hers. While she debated with herself, the shadow grew across his well tanned face as his eyes shut and his lips parted just enough to snuff the candle's flame, and Kerra was alone again with the slight rhythm of Yuna's sleeping breath in the room behind her. 


	6. shattered crystal and friendships

Sorry guys for the really long time between chapters, I'm moving and have been doing a lot of box-packing instead of story-writing. I guess the last chapters weren't a real success because I got no reviews…oh well. I hope you like this one better.   
  
Bevelle Palace was all in a pleasant catastrophe. Yuna and her husband-to-be had finally chosen a spot for the wedding, and every hand, foot, or any other limb capable of carrying a box was put to use moving, packing and loading wedding preparations onto the airship. Baralai struggled, much to his embarrassment, with one of the larger boxes stacked to be moved. He struggled to lift it, and when he failed, stood back and stared at it in mild frustration. Practically attacking the menace of a box, he finally seemed to inch it off the grass and smiled to himself until he heard a familiar laugh. A blonde man with an eye patch poked his head around the side and gave of another explosive laugh. "Who invited you to the party?" Baralai said, although it was in a friendly way. "We thought you might need some help." Gippal looked at the box. "apparently, we were right." Baralai had to laugh to himself. He truly was the weakest of the trio, and although he could easily win in any fight involving a sword or blade, he could just as easily lose a match that involved hand to hand combat. They always kidded him about it, but it never really bothered him. "we?" Inquired the slightly exhausted praetor. A deeper voice answered him "we, you knew Gippal wasn't going to go anywhere by himself right? Besides" he stole a glance at the black leather clad girl helping the bride and her cousin bring out some things of her own " I've got my own things to take care of." "Yea, things with Leblanc didn't exactly work out between her and Nooj." Gippal laughed and then shuddered at the mention of that half dressed woman that was as bad as a Tidus fan girl when it came to Nooj. "My friend under exaggerates, now if you'll excuse me…" Nooj took off in Paine's direction, as Gippal chased him, and was soon left behind by Baralai, who was, although not a strong, twice as fast.   
  
Stars twinkled overhead as Kerra walked toward the Celsius with the last of the boxes to be put aboard, scuffing her feet along the ground as to not trip over anything and send the box flying. They already didn't like her being here, she could just imagine what they would be like if she sent their fine crystal plates and goblets catapulting across the courtyard, especially since two of them were the champagne glasses used at the wedding of Yuna's father and mother. At this thought, she held the box closer to her, fearing that anything should happen to those to glasses. Light poured across the yard as the door of the Celsius opened and Yuna jumped out to help with the last box. But light also uncovers shadows, one shadow in particular that began to creep Kerra out, a human shadow or something like it. She began to run faster, but the shadow followed behind in the brush. Yuna was less than one hundred feet away, and then they could make a break for the airship. No one would follow her to the airship, right? Whatever it was, it was getting closer and she bolted. Big mistake. She felt long fingers snake their way around her ankle and pull, not too hard, only just enough to make her fall to the mud, which stifled her scream. She pulled herself up trying in vain to wipe her face with her already muddy hands when she heard sobs. Then it hit her that things were much worse than her mud caked face. "The box…" she gasped.   
  
Yuna leant over the soggy box and picked through the contents, hoping, no praying that they wouldn't be broken. There were very few items she had of her father and mother, and had entrusted Kerra to bring them to the airship. She sobbed openly as she lifted two broken shards of what used to be their wedding glasses. "Yuna, I can explain" said the mud covered girl she had entrusted to carry them. "I'm sure you can" she said, her eyes blazing and her voice sending out flaming blades. "why can't you just be more…" Yuna searched for the last word with care as to cause the deepest wound. "civilized!" The last word came out a terrible shriek as she hurled the broken shards at Kerra and ran. She wasn't sure if they had hit her or not, and she didn't look back to check.   
  
For a long while, Kerra sat, paralyzed in the much she had fallen in, sobbing both for her gashes in her arm and shoulder and the cruel words the one she thought was her friend had thrown at her along with the crystal pieces that had caused them. Civilized? She knew that the people in the temples and the palace knew she wasn't all that classy or elegant, but… uncivilized? The filthy girl wiped at the blood flowing from her wounds, it being the only warmth out here for her, until a cloth was draped around her shoulders. It was old and musty, she could tell, it smelled like it and something else. Trees. Jerking her head up, she gasped at what she could see. Although it was dark and all was in shadows she saw a hooded figure, eyes like glowing emerald and a lock of hair the same color escaped the rest and draped in between them. However, what really caught her attention, were the long fingers that hung from the sleeves of her cloak. Fingers long enough to easily wrap around someone's ankle. " W-who are you?" Kerra croaked. " No one of importance…" she said, in a soft and graceful voice. She turned and walked away into the shadows of night, leaving Kerra to her own fear and sorrow until her consciousness also abandoned her there.   
  
Awww…poor Kerra. I will be basically homeless for the next week, so…probably will not be a lot of updates, but I'll make up for it! I promise! 


	7. Baralai busted and Kerra's new self

Hey guys! I'm not homeless anymore so I can finally update my story! I love updating this story so much, I missed writing on it! Okay, here's the next chapter!  
  
The sunlight melted through the windows in the Celsius' cabin like a river of gold falling across Baralai's sleeping eyes, causing them to open and fill with it's sparkling light. He sat up abruptly, at once trying to remember where he was and how he had gotten there. The stiffness in his neck told him that wherever he was, he had fallen asleep unintentionally, and he probably should not be here. Once his honey-brown eyes adjusted to the oncoming stream of sun, he was able to make out a shadow of a face against it, atop the bed he had fallen asleep against. The caked scarlet mixture of blood and mud on his faded traveling jacket jolted his memory as to how he had come across her in the field and carried her inside. She had passed out, or fallen asleep when he had come across her. Bleeding, and chilled to a frightening cold, he couldn't have imagined that anyone would leave anyone like that. 'I guess that means it was okay…I mean, what kind of praetor would I be if I had just left her there?' A cold shock nipped at his fingertips as they lightly brushed the filthy hand that hung from the cabin bed. She was still cold, no, not cold…freezing. He looked out the window, and from the position of the sun as it barely hung above the horizon, he judged that it was only dawn and if he left now, no one would see him…no one would ask him questions.   
  
Every muscle ached and every bone popped as he pushed himself off the floor and cursed himself for having been careless enough to fall asleep in the cabin of the airship anyway. The filthy figure on the bed gave off a shiver and Baralai impulsively reached for his traveling jacket. He then glared at it in disapproval. It was a warm jacket, made of blue suede and it had lasted him and probably would last him for a long time. However, as it was damp, muddy, and mildly bloody, he figured it wouldn't do her much good. ' I could get my other jacket' he thought, and with this thought, he moved toward the door, but then stopped at the frame. ' No good. She'd recognize it in no time, and then all the questions from Yuna and everyone…I can't risk it…' He decided his shirt would be thick enough, and unwrapped it was long enough to reach his knees. With a quick glance over his shoulder he began to untie and unwrap his sky blue shirt. As he draped it over her sleeping figure he laughed quietly to himself as he remembered how he had scoffed a Gippal when he had suggested buying at least one warm, but comfortably thin wool shirt. He had told his Al Bhed friend he would have no use for it, apparently he was wrong.   
  
"G'morning, sunshine…" Baralai would have jumped clear out of his boots, had he been wearing any. "Interesting place to sleep, huh? You know, I'm sure the Celsius has plenty of beds if you wanted to sleep somewhere more comfortable." Gippal was practically choking with laughter as he pronounced each word. 'Great…I've been caught' he thought to himself. Obviously Gippal could read his face like a magazine. "You're so busted…"   
  
"You won't tell anyone? Will you?" Gippal stifled another hysterical laugh, as Baralai had to stifle the urge to choke him to death at the same time. "Tell what? That the great praetor of New Yevon has a thing for the friend of the High Summoner? The same girl famous for her not-so-graceful ways and for being human driftwood that I found lying on Besaid island?" Baralai could feel his face turn red hot with either embarrassment or rage, he couldn't tell which. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and he turned around to meet his friend, who now wore a serious expression. "Hey, don't worry about it. I won't tell anyone. I'm not about to go and ruin my best friend's reputation." At the last part, Gippal chuckled, and Baralai realized what Gippal thought he had done. In horror he tried to convince him otherwise. " Gippal! No, I didn't….we didn't…" Gippal let out another roaring laugh that made Baralai glad he had shut the door to Kerra's cabin. "I know, I know, I'm just playin' with ya." he joked with a push. He turned to leave, but then stopped to get one last word in. "You know, Baralai, if you really like her, it's okay". He put forth a sincere face this time. "It's all right to be in love with her…" Baralai watched his friend continue down the hall. 'You may think so, Gippal' he thought to himself. 'But it's just not that simple…'  
  
Kerra awoke hoping that last nights events were only a dream, but her chilled and mud crusted skin told her otherwise. She had no idea how she had gotten into the cabin, but at the moment she really couldn't care less. With effort she managed to push herself out of bed, but not without catching a glance in the mirror. She was so positively hideous and filthy beyond recognition she almost had to laugh at herself. 'Heh, what a nice way to start out my new civilized life' she scoffed sarcastically. Civilized. That was what she would try to be. Not her civilized, but in able to fit in with Yuna's society. 'Who would be able to help me though…' She thought, as she attempted to snake and peel out of her blood and clay soiled clothing. If she was going to be more classy, the best start is to get a shower. 'Tromell! Tromell would be able to help! After all, he did use to serve a maester of Yevon!'   
  
The steamy hot water of the shower washed away the filth, leaving Kerra finally feeling clean and warm for the first time in hours. "Dangit!" she said out loud when she realized that all her clean clothes were packed in another cabin. Looking at the nasty clothes she had thrown in a box, Kerra cringed at the thought of putting them on again in their present state. It was then the soft blue of cloth on her bed that caught her eye, as she had not noticed the blue there before. She knelt to examine it and realized it was a handsome sky blue shirt. 'Heck, if it's the only shirt here, might as well put it on' she thought as she wrapped it around her. 'Besides, it's really comfortable anyway.' The timepiece on her wall chimed as she threw on some pants she had found in the closet and headed downstairs to find the old guado.  
  
"Help you?" the elderly man inquired. "yes, help me. I want to become more…ladylike. Maybe then Yuna won't be so disappointed in me." Kerra spit the words out as fast as a ten year old child, asking if she could wear her mother's makeup. "Lady Kerra, I was hoping you'd ask. After all, how long did you expect those rough ways of yours to be tolerated. You being a friend of the high summoner and all." Tromell smiled and extended his hand with a little bow. She had no idea what she was getting herself into. With the help of Shelinda, for several hours she was paraded up a down stairs in the engine room with books stacked upon her head. Books were thrown in front of her in effort to culturally educate her in proper speech and etiquette. "A lady does not show contempt for anyone, not even ones she cannot get along with" Tromell had said. She knew this meant no more witty battles with Baralai. There were hundred of other codes too, like "it is important not to show too much emotion" or " a lady must conduct herself in a noble matter at all times". Kerra kept thinking over and over again about how similar this was to how Yuna was expected to act when she was a summoner. Before she knew it, she was being led by the arm into Shelinda's quarters to find what she had called 'proper attire' for a New Yevon lady. "It just simply wouldn't do to have you run around in men's clothing." she said and gestured to the blue wrap around shirt she had found on the bed. Shelinda and Tromell spent what seemed like hours pouring over skirts, sashes, and bodices. As this was a normal day, the pair settled on a knee-length dress, green with a bodice embroidered with symbols of Yevon. This is what Tromell liked to call 'casual wear'. Kerra couldn't see the casual in it, however, if this is how things must be, she would obey. She noticed one thing about this ensemble that she wasn't too crazy about however. "Where do I keep my blade?" she asked bluntly. Kerra was a Gullwing. They always kept their weapons on them, fighting sometimes is what they did. "A weapon?!" the old Guado seemed shocked. "Lady Kerra, surely you don't think fighting is ladylike?" The clocked chimed several times again, reminding Tromell and Shelinda that dinner was still and issue, and it was up to them to oversee. "No…I suppose it isn't" At that Tromell smiled, turned and left her again in her own cabin. She peered into the mirror, and the stranger inside. Sitting up straight (mostly because her bodice left little room for slouching) on the edge of her bed, Kerra started to realize that she had done most of it. Now all that they wanted from her was to give up her spirit. To forget who she used to be, and become a new person. A person that her friends would not be ashamed to know. ' I will give it all up…It is too late to turn back now…'  
  
Woa! Long chapter! I think I'm gonna go to sleep now, so I'll update again later ( I was going to write two chapters tonight, but I'm kinda exhausted) 


	8. Scars to remind why we forgot

Yay! Chapter 8! Not many author notes today, just if any of you get bored, (or even if you're not…) go read my friend Ally-kat722 's Kingdom Hearts Fanfic! It's really cool! Uhh…yea, so here's the next chapter….  
  
The welcoming celebration could probably be heard for miles around the city of Guadosalam as High summoner Yuna and her wedding entourage arrived. Yuna blushed slightly at all the attention, she never had much liked being in the spotlight. She had wanted to be married in a place her father and mother would surely see, and Tidus had wanted to have the ceremony close to his fellow dreams of the fayth. They had both decided, as strange as it was, that the Farplane, was as close as they could get to either desire. And of course, the only way to get to the Farplane was through Guadosalam. Yuna suddenly giggled. 'Unless, of course, I wanted to fall down one of those holes again'. The memory of what was at the bottom of that hole, however, silenced her giggle. 'That was when I thought I'd lost him….for good.' At this terrible memory, she gripped her fiancé's arm a little bit tighter. The party, as she soon found out was a grand occasion, much bigger indeed than the engagement festival when she was to marry Maester Seymour. She felt that was deserved, as Tidus was twice the man Seymour could ever be…at least to her. Guado women were adorned in their best robes and dresses, and men in their most ornamental coats. Yuna herself wore her summoner robes, which hadn't been worn in such a long while. Rikku took it upon herself to scrounge up a nice canary yellow dress, bought from Oaka of course, which Gippal commented on how it brought out her jade eyes. Even Paine attempted to look her best, even if it was a black leather dress borrowed from Lulu. The absence of Kerra, however, piqued her curiosity. It was probably her fault, she thought, 'I shouldn't have done that to her, it was wrong…' Just then, as if answering her thought, a blonde haired girl stepped through the crowd. "Kerra?" Yuna stared half in disbelief and half in shock. Kerra lifted her blue eyes from her hands that were neatly folded across her middle, up to her addressor. Her grass-green robe was without a wrinkle as she stood there, her once wild hair bound atop her head neatly. Kerra gave a slight curtsy to Yuna, turned and walked away. 'Did I…do this?' Yuna started to follow her, but then throught better of it.  
  
Baralai was enjoying the feast and festivities almost to the fullest. Only Gippal was completely and fully taking advantage of everything, the celebration wine included. Perhaps he had taken in a little too much, Gippal was having a hard time standing up straight. The drunk, but almost underage young man handed Baralai a cup. Baralai shrugged, he hadn't had any yet, and if Gippal was drinking this much, it had to be good. He held the cup at eye level, peering at the deep scarlet of the drink, but a contrasting blur of green caught his eyes instead. 'Kerra?' he nearly dropped his cup at what he saw, and started to laugh. A very confused, and very drunk Gippal tried to focus his eyes, in vain to see what his friend found so amusing. But to Baralai's surprise, he didn't get a snappy comeback, or an insult. As a matter of fact, not even a death glare, she was famous for those. Instead, she laughed, and he stopped. It was an empty laugh, a court laugh, the kind a lady gives when she really doesn't find something funny, but does not wish to insult the comedian. He saw it all the time from the temple ladies, but he never expected it from her. Dumbfounded, he looked at her eyes, but was saddened at what he saw. The spark, the light, the endless sea of blue, had gone shallow. The crystal had dulled and the mystery gone. 'Yuna…' he thought to himself. 'you did this…you wanted her to be this way, and you got your wish.' His blood began to steam , but then cooled with sadness, getting upset with Yuna right now wasn't going to solve anything, it was only going to create problems. He heard that empty laugh many times that night, and each time he was more and more troubled by it, and each time it seemed like more and more of her spirit faded before his own eyes. He had seen it happen to someone else before, and at that thought he saw himself beside her, a sixteen year old boy that was once so spirited. He saw his chamber in the Bevelle temple where his father, a priest of Yevon, would come and visit. That was the day he had disgraced him, the day he had broken Yevon's taboo and stepped inside the chamber of the fayth. He watched in horror as his father raised his staff into the air. Baralai hated that staff…the one with the razor sharp ring atop it resembling Bahamut's halo. The staff came down hard upon the cowering boy, who although he was sixteen, shuddered and cringed as if he were three. Baralai's fingertips pressed against the long, wide scar marring his near perfect skin on his right shoulder. That was the day he forgot, the day he was forced to give up his spirit and forget who he was. That scar would always remind him to forget, and now she had two from the broken crystal shards to remind her. He could think of nothing else he wanted to do more than rip open the corset-like bodice of Kerra's robe and set her free, to make her promise him not to forget…to watch the sea of her eyes grow bright, deep and mysterious again. 'To lose myself in them, and for once, not care….'  
  
Vierda watched the once wild girl move blankly with pleasure. She had done well, and disposed of the one girl who could have stopped what her master had planned. She had no spirit left, the scars would remind her forever. He would be pleased, a reward her well for it, she hoped. However, she was not above the fear that Kerra would recognize her, so she watched from afar, through the crowd. However, she was pleased with the added bonus of the Praetor's misery. She knew the man loved her, the amber eyes told everything, humans were so readable. "So the brat has not the spirit to stop us, and the boy is too worried about his reputation to remind her of who she is…perfect" Vierda was only mildly surprised this time, and even then it was because her master had the audacity to appear in public. Even though he was cloaked, cloaked people at a celebration like this are drawn into questions and suspicions. She quickly dismissed these concerns however, deeming that her master knew what he was doing, no matter how absurd it sounded. "Kerra is the only brat that could have stood in the way of my plan. Now that she is out of the way…I am unstoppable." A gleam of triumph shone in his dark eyes, making Vierda swoon. "Vierda, remember this though…she mustn't be allowed to remember…her true powers must remain unawakened." 


	9. this is his real emotion,what is yours?

Hey guys! I felt like I needed to make at least one update on my final day of summer vacation, before my life keeps going in a million directions in one day. I'll still try REALLY hard to keep this story going though!

Yuna awoke the next morning the happiest she had been in a long while. Today was the day...the day her and Tidus were finally to be husband and wife. They had waited three years for this day, and here it was, and now she could scarcely believe it. She sat up on the soft linens of her bed, and stretched the lingering weariness from the party away. She ran her hand along the back of her neck, and as she did, she felt the slight nip of the cold silver chain that still hung around her neck. The white sphere pendant. Slipping it up over her head, Yuna thought of her father. 'I'll wear it today, to my wedding. Daddy would have liked to see that, wouldn't he?' Yuna smiled as she re-clasped the white sphere around her ivory neck and caught a faint scent in the air. "Mish Yuna!" she heard muffled from somewhere downstairs. "I made you my own wedding day preshent." Sniffing the air, she recognized the savory scent almost immediately after she heard the Hypello speak. "Pancakes!" Yuna jumped up, threw on the closest robe, and ran downstairs like a hungry puppy.

"Good morning', Mish Yuna!" Barkeep the Hypello greeted her as soon as she had bounded down the last stair. "I hope yoo are hungry!" Yuna nodded excitedly as Barkeep handed her a rather oversized stack of pillow soft, fluffy pancakes, so warm you could have sworn they would melt if you held them too long. The entire entourage had a laugh that morning at the bride-to-be stuffing her cheeks with pancakes.

Kerra was still very tired from the party last night. All this standing up straight and proper was taking it's toll on her. It wasn't something she was very used to. She was also happy to be out of that corset-like bodice on the dress Tromell had picked out. Now she could actually breathe to eat and enjoy her pancakes, although her sides and middle ached slightly at each movement. However, unlike her lady Yuna, Kerra had actually picked up a fork and knife to eat her breakfast with. She did laugh a little, half out of amusement and half out of politeness. When everyone else laughed, you did too, it was only proper. And even she had to admit, the sight of Yuna scarfing down her breakfast with her hands was slightly amusing. She heard another soft laugh behind her. Baralai was sitting in a chair behind her also laughing at the High Summoner's moment of immaturity. Taking a moment to inspect him, she noticed that even he was a bit lax in his appearance this morning. His silver hair was indeed brushed, but not slicked back or tied up with his headband, leaving it once again to spill over and brush his beautiful amber eyes. Her thoughts went back to how she had seen him that one night, up in his chamber, how the moon had reflected in those same gorgeous eyes of his...

"Kerra? Is there a problem?" Baralai asked, and to his surprise, she seemed to be catapulted back into reality. He watched as she grew scarlet red in an emotion that seemed foreign to her. 'Kerra? Embarrassed? Since when?' he inquired to himself. Nonetheless, he was sitting behind a girl as red as the strawberries on her pancakes. She was frantically trying to fix her hair and act nonchalant, as if nothing had happened. "n...no, my lord, it's nothing" she finally managed to sputter out. He was slightly disappointed at her answer. She was not fully lost, he could sense it, so he was half hoping for some snappy comeback or remark. 'Instead she calls me 'my lord'?' Baralai sighed. 'That was not quite what I was expecting.' As he looked up to her, hoping to instigate the argument he wanted, he was shocked to see that she had gotten up and walked out the door into the hallway. Scanning where she had sat, he searched for any excuse to follow her, a dropped possession perhaps. 'Oh forget it,' he thought, determined 'I'm worried about her...and that's excuse enough' He left his jacket at his seat and made haste for the doorway.

Kerra didn't run, only swiftly walked, still red with embarrassment. 'I'm definitely overreacting...' she told herself, and she knew she was. The scarlet gave way to slight pink, and then her porcelain tone again, but her breathing remained quickened. 'what's wrong with you, Kerra?' she asked herself. 'he only caught you looking at him, you look at hundreds of people everyday, what makes him so special?' She wanted to tell herself that he wasn't, that he was just another person that didn't matter to her, but she couldn't. If he was so unimportant, then why was her heart beating so hard? She felt a warm hand on her shoulder, spun around, and nearly choked on the knowledge of who it was. "Why did you follow me?" she asked, trying to sound calm and uninterested, but she knew she was failing miserably. "well I...er...well..." she watched Baralai stutter and search carefully for his words. "Because I've been worried about you!" He finally spit out as he put his other hand on her free shoulder. "You haven't been yourself lately..." He wasn't lying to her...she knew it, she saw it in his eyes. This wasn't a praetor's lie, this was real. Something whispered within her heart...

'_this is his real emotion...what about yours?....'_

He didn't see it coming, he could possibly have...it had happened too fast. One moment, he was standing here, with his hands on her shoulders, and the next...her lips had met his without any warning. His heart raced, and his head spun a million miles per hour. 'She doesn't...hate...me?' his heart leaped at his next thought. ' Could she possibly...'

_'Kiss her back, you idiot...kiss her back...' _

But in all the confusion, he just stood there, and before he could show any of his internal joy and passion, she pulled away.

Kerra couldn't decide what she disbelieved more; the fact that she had just kissed him, or that he didn't kiss her back, or maybe that she wanted him to kiss her back. Either way, he had just stood there...and it wrenched her heart that he did. This time when she turned around...she ran.

'You idiot!' Baralai cursed himself internally. 'She kissed you...KISSED you...and you just stood there...' He slumped to the floor, leaning against the wall of the hallway, and fighting back tears he slammed his fist against the cold, unforgiving tile. Closing his eyes, he held his fingertips to his lips, trying to summon that moment that he would hold onto for a long time...maybe it would be the only one he had. 'No...' he told himself ' there will be another...I'll make sure of it this time...'

Kerra curled herself up on the floor, next to her bed, silently letting sorrowful tears drop from her cheeks. 'this must be what it's like to love...and be rejected in return.' even the voice in her mind quivered. 'And...I do love him....very much...'


	10. Secrets of the Master and the Faythchild

Hey guys! I know, it's been so insanely long since i've updated this story, but now that marching season's over and done with, I'll update it so much more often! I hope you like this chapter, it has so many plot twists it's insane...

"All preparations are complete, my lord." Vierda sang triumphantly, and the fell silent, waiting for her master's approval and praise.

"Excellent... so easily is a friendship between these pathetic humans severed." his long, slender fingers slid over the crystal fragment Vierda had given him as proof of her work. "Break a little glass, and the threads of the friendship may be cut, all at once with it's edges." His blue-veined fingers set the fragment on the windowledge of the "Lordless manor". Vierda could tell he was happy to be home, but also sensed malcontenment. He was unhappy to see his once classy manor turned tacky at the hands of a scantily-clad blonde woman, and having to ask for the usurper's permission to stay. However, he was a half-guado of self control and the resumed his previous train of thought. "Now the Kyrsae has lost her spirit, and our only opposition with it. We now only need the sphere Braska left his stubborn daughter..."

'Kyrsae?' Vierda wanted to inquire. She had never heard this term before. He must have read her mind and found this confusion, because he aleviated it quickly. "The mortal child of the fayth, born to protect the boundary between the farplane and the mortal world." Vierda's color instanly drained from her face and a tidal wave of pure wonder replaced it. "Don't get me wrong, my dear, she is not inhuman, though...nor is she entirely human either...and intrigueing creature..."

One by one, the dark spots in the shadows of her master's plan were lit up in her imagination. "So this sphere is somehow tied to Kerra, and Braska gave it to Yuna to keep it safe...but why?" His blue eyes flickered with his devious thoughts of power soon to be his. "My dear Vierda, with that sphere, we could help her fufill the purpose of a fayth. 'Her purpose' Vierda thought with sorrow 'to become an aeon...and serve a summoner...'

"Yes, dearest, with that sphere, we shall have under our control the Faythchild Kerra's aeon...Aquestria, the gate-keeper"

The melodies of the Macalanian musicians sang throughout the air. Pyreflies danced through the farplane's sky to such melodies to welcome and celebrate the joyful bride. Yuna's white strapless wedding gown shimmered in reaction to the pyreflies light and colors reflected off its interwoven silver threads and the crystals embroidered into her veil. This day she had waited what seemed like an eternity for, and now was finally the time. Yuna giggled from underneith her veil as she gazed at her groom. Tidus indeed looked rather handsome in his white Yevonite wedding robes, but he also looked very uncomfortable. She knew he was far more used to his blitzball apparel, which was indeed much easier to move in, as it involved a lot less material. Joyful wispers from the crowd only fuelded her exitement as far off in the distance, her mother and father appeared among the other spirits of the passed who wished to see the savior of Spira be wed to the fayth's dream. The fayth also attended and cheered as much as the mortals to see her so happy. Only two did not smile in this joyful hour. Kerra, whose eyes were still red, had sworn it was only allergies to the Guadosalam vegitation. Yuna knew that this was not the case, as it was only Kerra and Baralai affected by these strange 'allergies'.

Kerra sat alone with perfect posture on a beautifully carved seat in the first row. She still felt miserably crushed, but the cheerfulness of the occasion and Tidus' obvious discomfort in so much fabric eased her pain a bit. There also came a strange warmth from being in the farplane, an unidentified warmth she couldn't explain nor decipher. She wanted to look up at the swirling pyreflies, not that they gave her much interest anymore...nothing had recently, but she couldn't bring herself to look up. She knew he was there. He looked handsome in his sky blue and silver robes, they contrasted with his coffee complexion well. It was such a familiar sky-blue...she couldn't remind herself quite where she had seen it before. Next to him stood the uncomfortable groom, with one of Gippal's hands on his shoulder in case he became a little too nervous.

Only one thing disturbed her about the wedding however. She found it odd that the minister hired by Vierda wore not ceremonial robes, but a long, pyrefly embroidered, blue cloak, and what was more, he did not reveal his face to the crowd at all. She knew something was very, very wrong, but as a proper Yevonite lady, she voiced no complaint. Instead she reached for her belt and for her duel-edge blade, only to be met with a gilded corset and robe. She wasn't carrying her blade; Vierda told her that proper Yevonite ladies did not carry weapons. Kerra's senses went wild as she became increasingly alarmed, but for the first time in her life, she felt powerless to stop the danger. 'Where is your strength, Kerra?' she thought to herself, but she knew the answer.

She had forgotten it.

He did not need to see her to sense her insecurity, it radiated toward him. Baralai wanted to reach to confort her, but now was not the time. There were to many people to witness, and he could sense something was about to go terribly wrong...

"It's been too long, My Lady Yuna" a soft male voice creeped from under the dark blue cloak. "Much too long..."

Yuna froze in fear. She knew that voice too well...she hoped, obviously in vain, that she would never have to hear it again....


	11. Wedding Abduction

No authors notes for today…I'm sure you're all disappointed…haha.

"Seymour…" Yuna scowled.

"Yuna, my dear, you weren't marrying another are you? You're already married." Maester Seymour mocked her with every word spoken from his sinister mouth. "My husband is dead." she said forcefully, pushing away his advancing hand. He nodded with a blood-stopping laugh that made Tidus tremble with anger. He moved to attack, but a simple flick of Seymour's wrist sent him flying; he hit the ground with a shout of pain. "This is true, darling…" his fingers reached to trace her neck. "But as soon as I have this crystal of yours, it will no longer matter. There will no longer be a boundary between life and death…" Yuna gasped as her hand flew to the white sphere. So this is who she wanted to keep it from, who she had to keep it from. She didn't have time to decipher what his words meant, all she knew is that she had to get out of there…now. However, as she turned to run the long guado fingers formed what seemed like unbreakable shackles around her arm, while the others waved at the thin boundary between the mortal and immortal realm. "I don't think you will be getting away this time, my love." he whispered in her struggling ear." A sudden realization terrified Yuna. She was losing consciousness, and with it, her ability to struggle and break free.

'Father…forgive me…I failed you.'

Kerra watched in frozen terror as the half-guado slipped regally into the small hole he was able to form in the boundary. "Yuna," she was able to choke out, but not much more. She knew the figure Seymour held was no longer conscious as she draped over his arm like a rag doll. 'Wait, what am I doing here?' she asked herself. She stood up as fast as she could and ran toward the hole after them. But the fabric on her robes was too long and it soon replaced the ground under her feet, causing her to fall on her face. Kerra watched helplessly as the hole into the farplane closed before her eyes. "Yuna…no…"

Baralai stood behind a kneeling Rikku as she tended to Tidus. "He's learned a few tricks and I don't like them at all! The big meanie!" she exclaimed loudly. Tidus was still unconscious also, rightly so. Seymour had thrown him far and he had hit the ground very hard. Now he had Yuna, and who knows what he was going to do with her. Something inside told him that Seymour wanted more than just a visit with his first bride. Baralai looked determined toward the place where the hole had once existed, as best as he could through the chaotic crowd. He was relieved a bit to see that someone had helped Kerra up off the ground, he would have done so himself if he had been able to get there through the mayhem. A groan snapped him back to reality. "Tidus, are you alright?" Tidus blinked a few times to regain vision and partially it seemed to wake himself from this nightmare. "He took her, didn't he?" was all he asked. Baralai had no choice but to nod. "Then I'm going after her!" He tried to stand, but he only fell back to the ground like a baby just learning to walk. "You can't go anywhere like this! Not for a while." Paine argued from behind him. "But Yuna, she'll…" Baralai could have sworn he was about to cry. He could see it as Tidus trembled with anger and hatred while Rikku helped him to sit up. He trembled with anger and hatred toward his inability to help. Baralai knew what must be done now, and Tidus was to weak to do it. He put a soft hand on the wounded man's shoulder and said "I'm going after her." An uncomfortable hush pressed upon the group as if to smother the breath that voiced his decision. "Baralai…You're not planning on going alone, are you man?" Gippal rubbed his own neck with concern. "We've all been there before, it's no picnic…" Paine also stepped from behind Rikku and Tidus to voice her own concern, though the words were few. "I'm not sure I'm okay with that idea either. You're not suited for that sort of…" "Work?" Baralai finished for her, in a bitter tone. Why couldn't they see it? It had to be done! He wasn't as fragile as everyone thought. He'd show them, but they'd never let him go alone.

"I'm coming with you…"

Baralai almost collapsed with surprise, while his heart jumped clear into the other direction. "Kerra…are you…" "You're not going alone." She interrupted, "He has something that I cannot afford to let him keep." Somehow he knew Kerra was not only in reference to Yuna. Her voice was weak, and still frightened, but somewhere intertwined with her words was her old spark of determination. 'Is she remembering?' he hoped, but he looked at her eyes and they were still a glassy dull shade of navy. His heart sank. "Are you sure, Kerra?"

She had never been more sure of anything. This Seymour had her friend and the sphere, she would not allow him to take Baralai… not unless he took her too. "Yes, My lord. I am certain." she whispered quietly and then bowed slightly. Despite the formality of the gesture, Gippal's face lit up with relief. "I'm glad you volunteered, because I sure as heck wasn't going back down there again!" He nodded toward the farplane and shivered. Rikku giggled as this reaction a bit. "Doesn't look like anyone's going anywhere anytime soon." Kerra recognized the kid's voice. It was Shinra. Rikku rolled her eyes and pouted, she knew what he meant. "Oh no…tell him to pull it together, will ya?" Kerra knew what that meant too. Brother wasn't going to fly them anywhere as long as he was too busy pouting about the loss of Yuna. She always did find his obsession with Yuna odd, and a bit sickening actually. She was his cousin after all, it just wasn't natural to have a romantic attachment to your cousin. "Want me to hurt him?" Paine implied with an underlying tone of enjoyment. "No need" Baralai said quickly, partially to dampen Paine's hopes at a little fun as help for a wounded ego Kerra guessed. "Gippal, how fast can you fly the Celsius to Bevelle? Gippal gave a delighted, sly smirk.

"How tight can you hang on?"


	12. The Real Emotions

Hey guys, a belated happy holidays to you all! And yet another apology for the long gap between updates. I find plenty of time to write in my classes...it's just a matter of getting it onto the computer to upload. But you have my promise that I will finish this story, no matter how long it takes me!

Kerra gazed down the endless hole beneath the depths of Bevelle's secret dungeons. Was she really going to jump down into this thing? _This will definately not be pleasant_ she thought to herself with dread. She momentarily wished she didn't love him enough to do something like this. Nevertheless, she did, and there was no turning back now.... Her heart pounded in her chest and pulsed throughout her body when suddenly something surprisingly simple came to her mind. _Why am I so afraid?_ She smiled at herself and her momentary stupidity. _I'm going home!_ She didn't think she would ever go home again.

He watched her robed form kneel beside the hole, anticipating their journey. "You know" Gippal came up behind the nervous Baralai. "There's no guarentee you'll reach the bottom together. Are you willing to risk losing her down there?" It's not like he hadn't thought about it. In fact, he was terrified at the prospect of being separated down there, and most likely he would never find her. Gippal laughed and simply said "Just hold on to her!" Baralai had to laugh. Leave it to Gippal to come up with something so simple. He looked on and watched Kerra struggle to stand by herself in her gown.

"Oof!!" Kerra fell over in attempt to stand up. _Stupid Gown_ she thought. She tried again, but this time with Baralai helping her up, the task was infinately easier. "Are you ready?" he spoke softly, obviously for only her to hear. Yet, as usual, he didn't look her in the eyes. She wondered if he ever would. "Yes, my lord." her voice cracked a bit. The fear had returned to haunt her. "I am ready." Due to the thickness of the accursed cloth around her, she couldn't feel Baralai's arm around her waist, but she didn't need to feel it to know it was there. Kerra caught one last glimpse of what she was getting herself into, the dark abyss threatening to engulf her forever, shut her eyes tight, and let Baralai pull her to the depths.

It may have been sometime later or even immediately, there was no way to tell, when Baralai awoke among a familliar patch of farplane blooms. They reminded him of Shuyin and the time that his body had not been his own, the time when he himself almost single-handedly destroyed all of Spira, simply because he couldn't controll some other man's rage. Maybe that was why he worked so hard to be what the people expected, because he felt he had to make up for it. He felt he had to atone for the wrongs Shuyin had caused, and almost taking the lives of every last one of them. However, such are the ways of the Farplane, the beauty of the blossoms calmed him and the dancing pyreflies carried his concerns to a place he did not wonder. His silver hair had tossed itself from it's usual style to over his eyes, so he gave up, untied the blue headband and flung it somewhere. It's not like there was anyone here anyway. He lay there enjoying the beauty of the farplane, the pyreflies, the crystal fountains, all glinting in a radiant, rainbow light. Kerra lay asleep a few feet away, though she struggled to breathe.

"Kerra" he traced her outstretched arm lightly to wake her. Her eyes slowly opened as the sleepy girl tried to push herself to sit against the will of what she was wearing. She fell, and struggled up again time after time, and it was obvious she was becoming a bit irritated. "All right!" she finally said forcefully. "This thing is going to have to go!" She tried to reach her arms to the sashes tied around her waist, but for all the fabric, Kerra found out that she couldn't quite reach that far. This made for quite a humorous sight, one that would have had herself laughing if only she could breathe easy enough to do it. "You want me to help you with that?" he inquired, fully laughing at the hillarity and happy to see her lauging too. A real laugh this time, the kind he liked. "You mind?" she asked. Baralai jumped to his feet, and helped her to hers. She turned around to face away from him. He was able to untie the sashes with ease, but to his brief puzzlement he was met with the intricate laces of the corset type garment. "Umm, Kerra? I'm not exactly sure how to..." "I do" she said cheerfully. She reached for a dagger he was carrying just in case around his waist and held it up to him. He grinned at the brief return of the old Kerra. "Are you sure?" he asked her. "Would I have handed it to you if I wasn't?" she mocked him a bit. Recalling his previous desire to free Kerra's spirit from this wretched thing, he took the dagged and carefully slid it beneith the tightly bound laces. With each lace he broke, Baralai noticed the appearance of a familliar sky blue. Only a touch of the soft fabric and he recognized at once. The shirt he had left her, perhaps there was a bit of her left underneith the whole disguise all along. Before her realized it, Baralai slipped his hands underneith the ornate Yevon robe along the soft wrap he had recognized as his, and slid the cursed things off. Watching her, he noticed that in her old clothes she no longer had to struggle to breathe. His hands, that had been resting on her shoulders now reached for the pins that held her wild hair tightly bound.

Kerra did not know what to think as her hair tumbled from atop her head, or at least she didn't know what she was supposed to think. She knew exactly how her heart was beating, and that these feelings were no one else's. She would never again be anyone else but herself, and right now, who she was wanted to close the gap. She turned slowly to face him, which startled him a bit. He took his hands away from her and stepped back a bit, hanging his head to avoid eye contact. She desperately wanted to know what was going through his head. Surely he wouldn't reject her again?

_What on Spira were you thinking?!_ he asked himself. He was so caught up in the fact that he was free from his usual stifling constant supevision, he didn't even stop to think how she would react or what she would think. Baralai was snapped from his session of self-cursing by the realization of sensation of soft hands intertwined with his own. He laced his fingers between hers as he looked up awkwardly to face her. "Kerra" his voice spoke softly to ease her apparent anxiety. He didn't blame her, he had rejected her before. That was different then...then he was afraid. Then, he let himself be stifled by what others thought of him and expected him to be. He wouldn't make that mistake again. "Promise me something..."

"What is it?" she looked up at him puzzled.

"

Promise me...that you'll never let me forget who you are. Never again."

He pulled her closer to him, her hands still within his. He came to the realization, that for the first time he was looking her in the eyes. Just as he always had feared, he couldn't pull himself from them, the captivating spell of the ocean blue. Only now, he did not fear it. He opened the doorway to his heart, and let himself be lost in her enchantment. Releasing her hands from his, he slipped his them this time behind her head, letting his fingetips run through the golden threads of her hair. Kerra clasped her hands behind his neck, and again showed him her real emotion.

This time...he returned hers with his own.

Phew!! That took forever to type!! And a short note to all you sick minded people out there. There is no lemon in this story thanks...so don't read one into it!! Thank you, and have a great day...haha.


	13. Yuna's torture and the border dissolved

Man oh man...i've really gotten behind. I promise I'll finish this story! We're actually getting close to the end anyway.

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Yuna's head was still groggy when she tried to wake up. A strange feeling was taking her, a strange feeling that she had before. She remembered the previous events of her long awaited wedding and remembered where she was, and unfortunately, who she was in the company of.

"Ah, so you're finally awake, my dearest." She head that smooth, oily voice and shuddered. Yuna had never wanted to hear that voice again, especially not on another wedding day. "What do you want with me?" she barked, as best she could through her groggy head.

"What does it matter? I have you." was his reply. If her hands hadn't been bound, she probably would have beat him to a pulp. She had gotten stronger since they last met, and she wanted to show this to him...first hand. However, she was bound to the wall...a wall she recognized with horror. This was the chamber in which they had taken apart Vegnagun, the very center of the farplane. Around her neck, the white crystal sphere glowed. "If you insist...you have something that I want." The blue haired half-guado slid his long fingers around her neck. Her skin crawled as his hand went from her neck to the space where the white sphere hung. "Ah, there it is." Seymour's other hand slid behind her and through her brown hair. Yuna struggled as much as her restraints would allow, but they were tight and stretched out, allowing only for the movement of her head. With his hand behind her head, though, she could not even move that.

"Let go of me" She gasped.

"Not likely..." Was his reply.

He took his other hand off the sphere and let it slide back up past her neck to hold her head secure. She wished for nothing else than the ability to run as fast as possible. "I hate you." She wispered.

"I know" He brushed his finger over her lips. "That will make this all the more satisfying." With that he pressed his own lips hard against hers. Yuna tried struggling again, with all that she was. Her world swirled in a bad way and she wanted to throw up, but he still did not release her from the lock of his lips. This was it again, this awful feeling. The same awful moment, and it had not differed from the last time. It only became worse after the intrusion of his tongue.

Finally, after a long while he released her. She felt violated all over, and spat onto the ground although she was aiming for him. All Seymour did was laugh and look at the glowing white sphere in his blue-veined hands. "Vierda." He called for her while Yuna gasped in disbelief. Vierda...was working for him? She felt utterly betrayed.

Vierda's green figure passed into vision with an exited look in her eyes. "My lord Seymour, have I done well?" She asked, hopefully. This time, however, her eyes met a stone wall in his.

"Vierda, I intend to release you of my services." Her vision blurred, but with tears. "My lord, have I done something wrong? Something to...displease you?"

"Not at all, my dear Vierda." He looked at her in sly reassurance. "But I will ask only one more thing of you." Now would be the time that he would exploit her innocence. Her ignorance. To dissolve the barrier between the worlds of the living and realm of the dead required not only the crystal. It required the blood of a living maiden, and a guado maiden was close enough. Seymour reached over to his green haired servant and placed the glowing crystal inside her cupped palms. "Now, awaken the crystal, my love."

Vierda held up her cupped hands with the sphere inside, and began to sing in an ancient language. Not even Yuna had ever heard its words before, but the sphere responded. It glowed brighter and brighter until it shone like a captured star, illuminating the entire farplane with it's radience.

"Awaken, star of the living fayth." Vierda said to the shining sphere before falling, weak, to the ground. She gasped for breath and watched the beautiful light as it held it's place in the air. "Lord Seymour!" She called out with all of her remaining strength.

"Many thanks, Vierda." He said, standing over her. "Your service to me is complete." He trust a hidden dagger into her heart. "Now you will die." Vierda gasped in pain and betrayal. Her heart broke and shattered. She had been betrayed by the one she had loved and followed without fail or falter.

Tears leaked down Yuna's face. She saw tears flow from Vierda's eyes as well, accompaning the look of betrayal.

As the guado maiden's eyes fell to death, so did the divider between the realms dissolve.


	14. The Crystal's Blood Red Light

I'm baaaaack. Did ya miss me? I couldn't let this story go too long without an update, especially with the cliffhanger of an ending I gave you all last update. here we go!

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"Baralai!" Kerra gasped as she noticed the barrier dissolving. "I can see Spira from here...and I definately don't think I'm supposed to be able to!" She felt his hand clench hers tighter as she led him on farther into the farplane, in search of Yuna. The truth was beginning to dawn on her. The white crystal had now served one of its two purposes... to dissolve or preserve the border between farplane and mortal world. She made a thankful prayer to the fayth that the Guado monster would never be able to use the second purpose. To summon its aeon. Not even Yuna would be able to summon Aquestia, through that brought a little bit of sorrow to the safetly. Only Aquestia would be able to separate the realms again.

"We better find Yuna, and fast" Baralai squeezed her hand a bit to awaken her from her thoughts. "You're right...she's close now" He heard her say, though there was fear in her voice. The fear was righteous however, what would they do once they found Yuna? How were they going to get themselves out of this one? "How can you tell?" He gave her an inquisitive look. How could she tell...come to think of it, how could she navigate this place so well? When he recieved no answer, he grew a little bit worried.

"Kerra, what's wrong?" He stepped in front of her and looked straight into her sorrow-filled eyes. Although nothing could have prepared him for what he was about to hear.

"This is home, Baralai..." The words echoed in his ears. "Home? What are you talking about? How could this be..."

"Baralai, did you ever wonder how I came to wash up on the beach that day? That day that Gippal found me?"

The truth be told he had wondered, and wondered often. "But, Kerra..."

"I had forgotten too...I had forgotten everything, until everything began to come back to me in little pieces. The crystal is mine, Baralai. I am it's protector." He watched as a warm tear trickled down her pale face. His hand reached and smeared it away before it could fall completely. "We have to get it back, Baralai. It's the only way..."

"The only way to save Spira..." He sighed and kissed her trembling lips. "Don't worry, Kerra, we'll get it back." As if it was that simple, just walk up and take it from a guado roach that refused to die.

As they kept walking, hand in hand, Baralai eventually saw what they had been following the entire time. It was the source of the distortion, a bright white light contained inside a cavern that was positively draped in devious laughter.

"Vierda!" Kerra cried out as she saw the guado woman on the floor. She broke from Baralai's steadfast grip and ran toward the pale and cold looking figure. _No...she can't be..._

"Dead? Oh yes I'm afraid" came the oily slick voice that made Kerra wish to vomit, and she would have done so, if not for respect of the dead woman in her clutches.

"Kerra!" A voice called out from the shadows beside the monster. "Kerra get out of here! You'll be killed!"

"Yuna! Hold on! I'm not leaving without you! I promised Tidus!" She answered the pleading shrieks.

To her displeasure however, it was Seymour who answered her call. "Do not worry, my dear bride, Yuna. I do not intend to kill her. "

"That's right, you bastard...you need me alive" The anger burned in Kerra's heart, anger she had never experienced before. He didn't know that he wouldnt' be able to summon Aquestia, but what he didn't know, couldn't hurt them. "If you let her go, I'll cooperate with you, but I insist that you let her go first!"

To hear Kerra's voice ring again in that tone thrilled Baralai, but the fact that she was agreeing to help him nearly knocked him off what little balance he had. _Kerra, how could you? How could you betray Spira. Is it because this is your home?_

"Very well, wench, here is your girl. After all, when I have controll of the combined realm, she will be begging me to take her." This comment was followed with a sly grin, which was rewarded with a scowl from Yuna that could have turned Sin away fleeing. Kerra kneeled beside the woman.

"Kerra, why are you going to help him" She wispered, barely audible.

"I'm not..." Kerra replied in an equally hushed tone. "Just make sure Baralai knows that too..."

Yuna nodded and headed toward the direction she had seen the silver haired man standing, undetected by Seymour as of yet.

"Now for your end of the bargain, my aeon slave." The look of contempt Kerra returned to him rivaled Yuna's look of disgust, but she knew what must be done. "Yes_ master_..." She added extra hatred to the last word, as if to figuratively spit upon it.

He held out his hands, the crystal sphere amulet nestled inside, and Kerra placed her hands hovering above the glittering object. With the influence of its mistress, the sphere began to glow even brigher in a swirling blinding light. So bright, even the figures of Lord Seymour and Kerra herself seemed the blackest of shadows. Then something happened, that the Lord of the Guado did not intend, although he did not know the difference. The crystal thrived off of the emotions of its mistress, and so the light grew tinted with red near her hands. The red light flowed out as a colored liquid poured into pure water, until the entire stream of energy was tinted blood red with her malice and hatred.

"What is it you desire, my lord?" Her voice echoed in the vortex of power, holding a deep metallic quality. She opened her eyes, and even Seymour was taken aback by their color, a crimson red to match the flames of swirling light.

"I desire the service of the aeon Aquestia, and dominion over the combined realm" He answered cooly despite the fear in his eyes.

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Tah dah! Another cliff hanger for ya. Sorry guys, It just couldn't be helped! But hang in there, we're getting toward the end of the story! Leave a few reviews and I'll get the next chapter up faster... 


	15. Sacrifice of the heart

We're getting near the end...and I started this story a year ago...wow. I think this is going to be the last chapter, then I might add an Epilogue, we'll see. Thank you, Rosencrantz, for being honest and finding a pleasant way to do so. As for another review I recieved, I got a nice laugh out of it. Taking time to actually put in a review that they thought it was wierd and other stuff, but gave me nothing to work from. Whatever, I got a kick out of it. Okay, rant over, story beginning.

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"Wrong answer, my lord..." Kerra said in an eery tone before the crimson light exploded throughout the room, knocking Seymour onto the floor with a bewildered look.

"How is this possible? I had the sphere, you are mine to controll!" He cried, but not to far out of the usual calm voice. "It's simple really..." came Kerra's reply. "Don't you remember why you wanted to marry Yuna, long ago in the age of Sin? You needed the bond between two hearts to summon the final aeon. Aquestia is no different." She turned to face the half-guado on the floor "and you, Seymour, have no place in my heart." she let the words sink into him like blunt knives. In her hand, Kerra clutched the white sphere pendant. It felt right in her hand, although it would not stay there for long. She knew what would have to be done, and she knew it would cost her life. Aquestria would need to be summoned to mend the boundary that held the farplane apart from the mortal realm.

"I know what you plan to do, Kerra, but I will not allow it!" Seymour attempted to stand again and walk toward her, using the wall that Yuna had been bound to as a brace for his weakened figure. Kerra stood her ground, watching him in the white light the sphere normally gave off. Before either of them could figure out what was happening, they heard an angry voice call out.

"That's not for you to decide!"

Baralai had leaped out from his and Yuna's hiding place with both is duel edge blade and Kerra's own. He knew Seymour couldn't die, he was dead already, but there had to be a way to trap him here. Trap him in this realm where the deceased belonged. Taking a deep breath, he plunged his duel edge blade toward the wall, lodging itself in the gnarled wood. He turned his head then, and didn't look back for he knew be would not yet be able to stomach what he had just done. Seymour now knelt, doubled over against the wall, the sword protruding from his gut. Deep red blood seeped from the wound that held him bound to the wall. Seymour's breathing grew ragged from pain, but in his heart he knew he couldn't die. "You will never again trouble the mortal world, Seymour Guado." Baralai proclaimed, his own breathing was not so steady.

"So..." The half guado's voice gargled. "Even in death it is possible to feel pain? There will be no escape from this agony..." Baralai watched him now, as he closed his eyes and even in a state of unconciousness a vision of pain contorted his features. Pain even in death, and Seymour was to experience it for eternity. Baralai fell to his knees, witnessing the doom he had placed upon the former maester. Nobody deserved eternal pain...

"Baralai..."

Kerra called out to him, before placing her hand gently on his shoulder and kneeling beside him. She took his hand and looked into his amber eyes with her orbs of ocean blue. "It's time..." Standing up, she left the white crystal in his coffee colored palms. He rose up to meet her and they took the same stance as she and Seymour had before, with the crystal in his hands, and her hands on top. She watched as he closed his eyes to stifle a shimmering tear. It came unbidden anyway, and it rolled down his cheek. "You're going to die, Kerra..." For once, she didn't cry. She had been preparing for this her entire life, and she knew it had to be done. Her heart was crumbling within her chest, but still she didn't cry. Reaching one of her hands out, she brushed the unbidden tear away.

"Hold on to me." She said to him. "Hold on to my memory, and I promise I'll never really leave you."

Those were the last words Baralai would here her speak to him. He couldn't even speak to say anything back to her, only nod. The next moments were all a blur to him. The bright silvery light that emitted from the crystal between the lover's palms, tainted blue with his own sorrow, gave way to Kerra's transformation into a beautiful unearthly being. Rings of silver encircled her wrists, waist and forhead, and rich blue robes flowed like water around her purely white skin. She spoke words in a tongue that no one on Spira had ever heard before, mending the spirit boundary with each mesmerizing syllable. The sky around him shimmered until Spira was no longer visible. The light was beginning to dim from his vision, or so he thought. It took him a few seconds to figure out that he was losing conciousness. Through his dimming world, he caught one last glance of the heavenly aeon Aquestria before his world blackened out, and the heavenly angel faded into oblivion.

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It all seemed so long ago now, thought Baralai, his amber eyes once again peering onto the courtyard from his private chambers. Funny, this is how it all began. Yuna and company would be here soon for the ceremony, just like last time. Today would be his final day in these chambers, his final day as Praetor of New Yevon. Shelinda would serve Spira well as Praetess, he was sure of it.

He ran his hand through his messy white hair, then caught his fingers in a silver chain around his neck. Tracing it down his neck, his fingers lingered over the necklace that he had worn everyday since the day he woke up un the Bevelle underground. The crystal no longer glowed with it's beautiful luminecence, not without Kerra's life.

"I won't forget, Kerra... I'll hold on to you, and what you brought me, forever..."

That's it! Kinda sad, I know. There will be an Epilogue, so sit tight!


	16. Epilogue: She who would not fade

Crystalline pyreflies circled ahead in the realm of the fayth as they congregated in discussion of a matter of importance. Each one of them, in their fayth form, sat on the ground amongst the beautiful flowers of the farplane glen. The fayth of Shiva was the first to speak.

"So it is finished then..." She said. "The boundary has been mended, and never again will Seymour Guado threaten the mortal realm." Ifrit spoke next "Praetor Baralai also steps down as praetor, leaving the position to the loyal servant Shelinda." He smiled as he addressed his fellow fayth in the circle. "All is well in Spira. It is truly finished."

"No..." The fayth familiar to Tidus, the fayth of Bahamut, spoke in a hushed tone which held force and wisdom despite his young apperance. "There is another matter to discuss." He looked up from the ground at his peers through the multi colored hood. "The guardian's spirit does not rest. The man will not let go of her. And she in response refuses to completely fade."

"She clings to mortal life?" Inquired Ixion. "But why?"

"It was not supposed to be this man..." Answered Bahamut. "The Lady Yuna was supposed to be the summoner of Aquestia. She was not supposed to fall in love. The bond between their hearts is now unbreakable, and for that reason, Kerra will never fade, not completely."

"But she cannot exist forever in that void." Anima's fayth now spoke. "One cannot stay forever in the chasm between existance and oblivion."

"Exactly." Bahamut spoke. "And since she refuses to fade..." a loving smile now crossed his face.

"We have no choice but to let her exist..."

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FIN! 

You knew I wouldn't make Baralai live without her!

I have really enjoyed writing this. Really. Thank you to all my wonderful reviewers and people who have taken their time to read this. Adieu!


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